The high quality of resin from Vietnamese lacquer trees, notably those of the north, was a crucial factor in the rapid development of this art form. Decorated lacquer statues, panels, boxes and trays may still be seen at many temples and pagodas. In centuries the use of lacquerware was extended to larger items such as wooden chairs and tables, decorated with engraved, painted or inlaid mother-of-pearl designs. By the 18th century important centres for lacquerware production in the north and in the south. As part of their strategy to open up Vietnamese handicrafts to new foreign markets, the French introduced formal training programmes in lacquerware at the School of Indigenous Arts near Saigon from 1901 and in Hanoi from 1930. Since that time lacquzerware has continued to develop into one of the mainstays of the Vietnamese handicraft industry, both at home and abroad. Today's most popular items include vases, jewel cases, desk sets, trays and vertical blinds.

Your local guide will take you on a fascinating tour of the Cu Chi tunnels tour, where you will learn more about the conditions the people lived in, the hardships they faced, and the amazing ingenuity employed to maintain life in the tunnels. We walk past huge bomb craters - evidence of the heavy bombing campaigns in the region during the Indochina conflict, discover hidden entrances right beneath your feet, wander past tiny little chimneys in the ground that dispersed smoke from the underground kitchens, sample some of the simple cuisine that local fighters would have survived on, and have an opportunity to venture into the tunnels and explore the complex. You will also have a chance to visit one of lacquer factory which is running by the government to support handicaps who make lacquer handicrafts products to help those who are victim of Vietnam war.